Five Countries That Rodney and Teyla Visited
by xsilver-galaxyx
Summary: The world is starting to find out about the stargate and Teyla and Rodney are telling them about life in the Pegasus galaxy. Can be read as friendship or existing relationship
1. Day One

**Five Countries That Rodney and Teyla Visited (And The Journal Entries That Teyla Wrote)**

_A/N: Written for the 2010 sticksandsnark thing-a-thon for darkrosetiger on Livejournal. She requested Earth, AU and family._

* * *

Day One

In order to properly document this trip I have decided to keep a personal journal of events over the next eight days. Although I am required to file official reports of the meetings that Rodney and I attend with officials in each country, John suggested that I keep a more personal record of events so that Torren can read about them when he is older. I also believe that it will be important for future generations of Athosians as they learn how the relationship between my people and the different peoples of Earth developed as it provides a more personal view of trip, rather than the politically focused reports that will form part of the official record of events. It is my hope that one day this journal will form part of a written history of the Athosians. Although I feel that this journal would be more meaningful if I were able to handwrite it, for the moment security measures means that it must be recorded on an encrypted computer.

When the Atlantis expedition arrived in the Pegasus galaxy, there were five countries that were aware of the existence of the Stargate-the United States, France, Russia, England and China. Due to the increasing use of technology on Earth that has been discovered through the use of the Stargate it has been decided that other countries should be informed of it's existence. The IOA has determined that the non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council should be the first countries to be informed. The United Nations operates much like the councils that are found in certain areas of the Pegasus galaxy, except the members represent countries, rather than the populations of entire planets. The Security Council is an organisation comprised of 15 members of the United Nations and is responsible for making decisions regarding military action and peacekeeping. When Elizabeth first told me of the political situation on Earth I found it strange that such fighting could exist on a planet and why there was such uneven distribution of resources. I later came to realise that because the people of Earth did not have any contact with other planets or races, they had never been required to unite against a common enemy. Instead of focusing on their similarities, they focused on their differences. Dr Jackson has explained to me that it is only in much more recent times that the people of Earth have started working together to resolve problems that they all face. He hopes that by learning of the Stargate and other populated planets, as well as the threats that exist; the governments of Earth will start to cooperate more.

There are ten countries that are currently leaning about the Stargate and the existence of life on other planets-Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Gabon, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Turkey and Uganda. Representatives of each country were given a broad overview of the technology, people and threats at the United Nations headquarters in New York and then reported this information back to their governments. Each country is then to host a number of visitors that will give them further information. My role, along with John, Rodney and Ronon, is to give them further information about the Pegasus galaxy. Rodney and I are to visit Mexico, Brazil, Austria, Turkey and Japan, whilst John and Ronon are to visit the remaining five countries. Ronon and I are to give a native's perspective of Pegasus, whilst John and Rodney are there provide an outsider's perspective. Rodney will also be able to provide scientific information and John will likely be required to give military details. Teal'c and Vala, amongst others, have already spoken to these governments about their experiences living on other planets within the Milky Way, however we will be the first to give a detailed account about life in the Pegasus galaxy.

We are currently on a flight from Colorado Springs to Mexico City, where we are to meet with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Abelardo Espinosa. Even though I have travelled by puddle jumper and flown a Wraith cruiser I am enjoying the novelty of flying on a jumbo jet. Rodney insists however, that after this trip is over and I have spent more than 48 hours on a plane, I will be well and truly over it. However for the moment I am enjoying the in flight entertainment and the little bags of peanuts that the flight attendants bring around. When Mr Woolsey was explaining how we would be travelling from country to country and referred to the flight attendants, John and Rodney turned to each other and both said 'air hostesses' with rather large grins on their faces. Judging from the glare Mr Woolsey gave them I can only gather than this was in some way inappropriate. I should ask Jennifer about this when I get home.

The captain has indicated that we are about to land, so I will need to end this entry. Once we land we will be taken immediately to the Offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet with Secretary Espinosa.

* * *

It is almost midnight and we have only just arrived at out hotel room for the night. Secretary Espinosa was an extremely talkative man and he was very interested in learning about all aspects of Athosian culture. He said that his government would be willing to establish diplomatic ties with the Athosian people and provide assistance in developing a governing system now that we no longer fear the Wraith as much as we once did. I explained that the Athosian people already had a system of government that had worked well for many generations. I am afraid that I may not have phrased my response as well as I could have as immediately Secretary Espinosa became concerned that I had been offended by what he had said. He explained that he was merely offering assistance to the current governing body as Athosian society was now became more settled and new issues were going to arise for our government. He told me that after his country had gained independence they struggled for many years to establish a stable government and he was only offering assistance so that we may avoid similar problems.

Although it was an extremely long meeting, and despite the small misunderstanding, I am happy with the day's events. It was encouraging to meet someone who was so enthusiastic about learning of the Athosian culture. I am somewhat surprised that he did not have more questions about other people within the Pegasus galaxy or the threats that exist, but I am confident that he would have been given sufficient information about these issues in New York to determine whether he wanted further information.


	2. Day Two

Day Two

Although our hotel is located in the centre of Mexico City, close to the Offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are fortunate that it has a rooftop garden. I decided to take the opportunity to meditate this morning before we were required to vacate our room. I almost convinced Rodney to join me, however when he saw the time he declared that it was too early to be doing anything but sleeping. The height of the roof and the location of the hotel meant that I was afforded an extensive view of the city and I noticed that the air seemed slightly smoky, no doubt due to the air pollution that I read about. Regardless of the time, when I returned to our room I felt relaxed and refreshed. I was also looking forward to trying an authentic Mexican breakfast, as was recommended to me by Secretary Espinosa yesterday.

Our flight to Brazil does not leave until this evening so Rodney and I are able to spend the day exploring Mexico City. Tourism was not a concept that I was familiar with until I became friends with Elizabeth and she told me about the summer she spent backpacking around Europe before she started college. Although I frequently travelled to other planets when I was younger, it was always for the purpose of trade or to visit friends and I have not heard of anyone in the Pegasus galaxy travelling simply for the purpose of seeing new places. Perhaps it is something that will one day flourish in Pegasus, but I believe it is not something that will occur in the near future. Rodney suggested that I think of it like travelling to new planets in search of allies, except without the need to be armed. He then mentioned that Mexico City used to have very high levels of crimes and although it has improved in recent years, it would still be sensible to keep a very close eye on my purse. In preparation for our trip, John gave me a selection of books entitled Lonely Planet. He gave m a book for each country Rodney and I were scheduled to visit and they are filled with information about historical buildings and natural features we can visit, as well as places to eat and general information such as language and currency. I have already marked the places I would like to visit and will discuss the day's plans with Rodney over breakfast.

* * *

I am currently sitting in the departure lounge at the Mexico City International Airport, waiting for our flight to Brasilia. Rodney is currently searching the airport for a particular brand of drinking chocolate that we sampled at breakfast this morning. I believe he is trying to buy as much as he is able to take through customs.

We started our day by obtaining tickets for the Turibus, a bus that travels repeatedly along a route that passes significant tourist locations across the city. I believe buses such as this one are common in cities across Earth, especially those have a lot of tourists. We decided to complete the route once and listen to the commentary about each location, as we were not going to have enough time to visit every site. We decided to start at the Centro Historico as it encompasses a number of historical attractions, including the Metropolitan Cathederal, Templo Mayor, Plaza de la Constitucion and the National Palace. We found a small café for lunch that overlooked the square and had a traditional local meal called gringa (meat, cheese and sauce in between flour tortillas, served warm). We found another café for dessert, this one specialising in chocolate. We ordered two very large chocolate drinks and a tasting plate that included a variety of chocolate dishes. I preferred the chocolate cake whilst Rodney enjoyed the pudding so much that I gave him my portion.

After lunch Rodney said that he wanted to visit the National Autonomous University of Mexico, which is the second oldest university in the Americas. He was interested in visiting its science department, as it is responsible for almost half of Mexico's scientific research. However he was disappointed in the end because the science was not of the same calibre as the science he is involved with back on Atlantis.

* * *

It is almost midnight and we are halfway through our flight down to Brasilia. Rodney fell asleep not long after our dinner trays were removed and occasionally his head will dip down and fall onto my shoulder. I wish that I had his ability to sleep in strange positions, but I am afraid that I will not be able to go to sleep sitting up until I am utterly exhausted. I am certain that the chocolate I consumed this afternoon is not helping this situation. Rodney, I believe, must have trained himself to sleep in strange positions working late at night in his lab. Radek has often told me of occasions where he has entered the lab in the morning to find Rodney asleep with his head resting on his keyboard (he finds it quite amusing).

Even though we only had a day to explore Mexico, it is a country that I would enjoy visiting again. I would have liked to have seen more of the natural features of the country, especially the Canon del Sumidero. I would also liked to have visited the beaches at Cancun. At lunch when I suggested to Rodney that we should return one day, he was quite insistent that he was absolutely not going to Cancun, even if he was with a beautiful woman. Instead he agreed that we could return to Mexico (as long as he was not required to wear a swimsuit) and that we could take a trip to a tropical beach in another country, as long as it was not too crowded.


	3. Day Three

Day Three

We arrived at Brasilia International Airport very early this morning and were driven to our hotel so we could sleep for a few hours before meeting with the Minister of External Relations for Brazil, Marcio Ferreira. I believe that Rodney was half asleep as we made our way through the airport to collect our luggage. As soon as we entered the hotel room he collapsed onto the bed and has been snoring softly ever since. Unfortunately I do not have his ability to sleep and I will need to wind down before sleep is possible. I have never been able to sleep well and I believe that it is a problem that many people living in the Pegasus galaxy suffer from. Living under the shadow of the Wraith meant that you always needed to be aware of what was happening. Whilst Rodney is much more aware of his surroundings when we are on a mission, now that we are on Earth I believe that he subconsciously feels safer.

* * *

It is still quite early, but we are currently being driven to the Itamaraty Palace to meet with Minister Ferreira. Brasilia was a designed city, so our accommodation is not near the political centre. Living in Atlantis for the past five years, and seeing other cities built or inspired by the Ancients, means that I am certainly familiar with the idea of a planned city. The Athosians, and many other people in Pegasus, would develop plans for their camps so they were always set up in the same way. This not only provided a sense of familiarity, but also allowed for quick evacuation in the event of a Wraith attack. Rodney just finished telling me that planned cities on Earth are more unusual and that most cities tend to develop over time. Apparently the capital of the United States, Washington DC, was a planned city. Rodney argued that it was not a well-planned city as it was built on swampland, however having visited Washinngton I still believe it is an impressive city. He also told me that the capital of a country called Australia, Canberra, is a planned city and that he once went there for a conference.

Unlike the other cities on Earth that I have visited, Brasilia reminds me of Atlantis. The buildings are very sleek, with large amounts of metal and glass, whereas many of the other cities have buildings made of stone. The book that John gave me on Brazil gave quite an extensive history of Brasilia and the inspirations and ideas behind the design of the city. It also mentioned that the design of Brasilia is considered sufficiently important that it is protected as a World Heritage Site, which means that it is to be preserved.

Despite my lack of sleep last night, I am feeling quite energised at the moment, no doubt due to the very strong coffee we consumed before leaving the hotel this morning. Brazil is famous for its coffee and Rodney was unusually willing to get up this morning in order to have some. However it has made him somewhat jittery and he keeps shifting in his seat and leaning over to see what I am doing on my laptop. He is also working on his laptop, although he will not allow me to see it.

* * *

We have just finished our meeting with Minister Ferreira and are on our way back to our hotel room to collect our belongings and determine what we are going to do for the next few hours. Our meeting with Minister Ferreira was both very similar and very different to our meeting with Secretary Espinosa. Like Secretary Espinosa, Minister Ferreira was very well informed about events in the Pegasus galaxy, as well as the Athosian people. However whilst Secretary Espinosa was focused on establishing friendly and diplomatic relations, Minister Ferreira was interested in a more commercial relationship between his country and the various people of the Pegasus galaxy. He was also interested in helping establish more permanent settlements, however he explained that his country was interested in trade and providing raw materials. His interest in the types and quantities of various metals and minerals in Pegasus gave Rodney an opportunity to contribute to the discussion. It was clear to me that Rodney was not impressed with the Minister's attitude towards people in Pegasus, especially the Athosians, however Minister Ferreira did not seem to notice. Rodney's diplomatic skills have certainly improved during his time on Atlantis and I believe that it is only because I am so close to him that I was able to see that he was unhappy with the situation.

Unfortunately we only have a few hours to explore Brasilia before we are due at the airport to catch our flight to Vienna in Austria. After spending the past few weeks in the cities of Earth I would like to spend some time outside, with trees and grass, however I do not believe we will have time to travel that far.

* * *

We have a few minutes before we are required to board our flight, which allows me a few minutes to complete today's entry. Although I believed that Rodney being secretive about his laptop this morning was merely a side effect of his restlessness due to too much strong coffee it turns out that he actually was being secretive. Whilst we were having lunch yesterday I told him that although I was enjoying visiting these cities I missed being in a more natural environment. As he is prone to do, he was then determined to resolve this problem and arranged for us to have a picnic in one of the more secluded areas surrounding Paranoa Lake. All the food that he arranged was traditional Brazilian cuisine and included a rice and bean dish, pao de queijo (cheese bread) and empadas. He also arranged brigadeirao, which was similar to a chocolate flan, and acai berries, for dessert. It was an extremely enjoyable afternoon and it gave Rodney and myself the opportunity to stop worrying about our meetings and to enjoy each other's company.


	4. Day Four

Day Four

We have just finished lunch (although most people on the plane would consider it time for breakfast) and are going to be landing in Vienna within half an hour. We were woken up halfway through our flight and served breakfast, in what seems to be an attempt to convert us to Vienna time. Unfortunately there is a small child on the plane who was especially unhappy at being woken up and the passengers in the surrounding seats, including Rodney and myself, have been unable to go back to sleep as a result. At just over 12 hours, this is the longest flight I have been on so far and the events of the past few hours have made me less enthusiastic about air travel. I am also starting to agree with Rodney's suggestion that we should have been allowed to take a jumper rather than relying on commercial airlines. His argument is not only that it would be quicker and more convenient for us, but it would also give us an opportunity to show Ancient technology to the various officials that we are meeting.

As we are arriving in the middle of the day we will not be meeting with the Austrian Minister for European and International Affairs Gabriele Hundstorfer until tomorrow and subsequently have the rest of the day to ourselves. We have tickets to see the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Weiner Musikverein this evening. Rodney purchased these tickets as soon as he learned that we were going to travel to Vienna and I believe that it is going to be the highlight of the trip for him. Music is an interest that Rodney and I share, however living in Atlantis we did not get many opportunities to enjoy it together. Once the expedition was able to resume contact with Earth Rodney loaded various examples of Earth music onto a small mp3 player to share with me, but he said that it was not the same as hearing music being played live. Still, occasionally we would spend a quiet evening listening to some of his favourite pieces. He has also started to teach me how to read music, although he is still not entirely comfortable playing in front on me. John also brought an mp3 player back to Atlantis, although Rodney insisted that what John listened to was not real music. Ronon seems to disagree however and has become very fond of a musician called Johnny Cash.

* * *

Unfortunately we have not had enough time to do anything in Vienna today. Once we arrived at our hotel, we had planned to have a short nap before going for a walk in the areas surrounding the hotel. However we must have been more tired than we thought because it was late afternoon by the time we both woke up. Instead we had a relaxing afternoon in the hotel and are about to start getting ready to go to the Weiner Musikverein. Whilst I have stayed in a number of hotels on Earth I have never spend much time in them. Instead they have just been a place to sleep and bathe. The hotel we are staying in is quite large and very luxurious. The foyer is especially beautiful and there is a small bar off to the side where you can have a hot drink and read a variety of newspapers from around the world. I spent a long time in the gift shop and brought small presents for many of my friends back on Atlantis. We also visited the swimming pool, tennis courts and the gymnasium. On the top floor of the building there was a day spa that provided a range of massages and beauty treatments, however we did not have time. Instead I brought some soaps that had a scent that reminded me of a flower that grew near my family's tent when I was young.

We have ordered room service for dinner and after that we will need to start getting ready in order to see the orchestra. Rodney is currently watching the latest Wormhole X-treme spin-off, although it has been dubbed in German and there are no English subtitles. However he claims that the story is sufficiently predictable that he does not need to know what they are saying and is instead providing his own running commentary. He has been quite vocal in his criticism of their 'ridiculously designed spaceships'. He is also saying that the sexual tension between the military leader and the female alien is terrible and that the female alien would do much better with the brilliant scientist. I am still not sure how he is able to determine this without knowing what any of the characters are saying but Rodney is insistent that he is correct. When we return home he plans to find an English version of this episode to prove that he is correct.

* * *

We have just returned from the Weiner Musikverein and Rodney was correct, listening to music on an mp3 is nothing like hearing it in person. It gave you the feeling that you were being surrounded by the music and it transported you away from the rest of the world. Listening to the music on an mp3 player does not give you the same sense of emotion that you get from the rise and fall on the music when it is being performed in front of you. I was also impressed by the size of the orchestra, having never seen a group of musicians that large. Although music is an important part of Athosian culture it is normally performed by individuals or by small groups of no more than six. During intermission I purchased a number of CDs that featured recordings of the orchestra's performance of various compositions, as well as a program that gave a history of the orchestra. Like Rodney, I believe that this will also be one of the highlights of the trip for me.


	5. Day Five

Day Five

We will be flying out of Vienna as soon as we finish our meeting with Minister Hundstorfer. We will arrive in Ankara tonight and our meeting with the Turkish representative is scheduled for tomorrow morning. We have almost arrived at the Austrian Parliament and I have thoroughly enjoyed our drive. Many of the buildings are very old and are made of intricately carved stone but what makes them especially impressive is the fact that many of them were built before motorised or electrical equipment was used for construction. Vienna has existed for over two and a half thousand years and there are still the remains of buildings constructed by the first people to live here. Unlike many of the other cities I have visited there are no high-rise buildings, which is the result of a policy introduced by the government in order to maintain the feel of the city.

* * *

We have just concluded our meeting with Minister Hundstorfer and are making our way to the airport. I am unsure as to how I feel about the meeting with Minister Hundstorfer. The minister was certainly a friendly and well-educated woman and was interested in learning about all the people of the Pegasus galaxy. She was also extremely well prepared for our meeting and knew what areas she wished to discussed, which was fortunate as we were not going to be able to spend the entire day meeting with her. However, from the outset of the meeting she emphasised that her country was committed to remaining neutral, and whilst they would assist with peacekeeping measures, they would not become involved in any military conflicts. This is certainly an admirable position to take and from what I know of Earth's history it appears that this is a stance that a country is able to successfully undertake at this time. Nonetheless, as I spent quite some time explaining to the minister, this is simply not a position you can take against the Wraith. Of course I hope that Earth will never have to face an enemy such as the Wraith but as the governments of Earth learn about what occurs in both their own galaxy and others such as the Pegasus galaxy, they need to understand that they may need to adjust some of their policies. Other galaxies and other races do not always operate on the same basis as Earth. Unfortunately Rodney was not as diplomatic as he could have been in his criticism of their insistence on continuing with their policy of neutrality. It would be safe to say that he lost his temper with the Minister and at the end of the meeting it was requested that he not be involved in future discussions with Austria regarding the Stargate program. This has resulted in both Rodney and myself being required to write a number of extra reports on our time in Austria.

* * *

The flight to Ankara was short in comparison to the flight from Brasilia to Vienna at just over two hours. Unfortunately this meant that we did not have enough time to complete our reports on the meeting with Minister Hundstorfer in Vienna. We arrived at Esenboga International Airport in Ankara at approximately 5pm local time. This meant that we had a very short period of time to travel to our hotel and get ready for dinner with the Minister of National Defence Sadullah Atalay. In order to properly welcome us to Turkey, the Minister has invited us to dine with his family. Naturally a cover story has been developed so that his family do not become aware of the Stargate and life on other planets. I am very much looking forward to the dinner, as we have not had much exposure to families on this trip. Families do not seem to play a very large role in governance on Earth, at least in the countries that I have visited, although from what I have read and been told this allows for fairer governing. This is yet another example of the differences between Earth and communities in the Pegasus galaxy. A ruling family often governs people in the Pegasus galaxy because it provides stability, but on Earth, the stability is often taken for granted by the family and can be abused when it becomes too entrenched.

* * *

The dinner with Minister Atalay's family was most enjoyable. His wife was a very gracious host and it was obvious that she enjoyed serving some of the best food that Turkey had to offer. The Atalays had a large family of six children, three boys and three girls, who were all well behaved and polite. Even Rodney got on with them, however I suspect this is partially due to the time he has been spending with Madison in more recent years. He was especially pleased when the middle daughter said that she was interested in science and astrophysics and by the end of the evening he had promised to email her a list of books that she might be interested in. Rodney was also quite taken with the family's pet angora cat.

I am not sure why, but I was expecting families on Earth to be different to families in Pegasus. I know that this does not make sense, especially as I have spent time with families on Earth, Rodney's family in particular. Maybe it is because there are such a variety of cultures on Earth I was expecting there to be some difference in the role of families. However dinner tonight confirmed for me that families are always going to be the same, regardless of the galaxy they live in, because of the love and warmth that exists between them.


	6. Day Six

Day Six

We were not due to meet with Minister Atalay until mid morning so after breakfast we took the opportunity to contact John and Ronon and see how their meetings were progressing. It seems that their meetings have been much more focused on the Wraith than ours have but overall it seemed that they were happy with the way that things were progressing. Their meetings have also been somewhat shorter than ours, which means that they have had more time to explore the cities they have been visiting, although from what John was saying it seems that they have been taking full advantage of the sports programming on the cable television that most hotels seem to provide. I told John, and I have said this to him before, that it was unfortunate that we were not able to travel to all ten countries together, not only for our benefit but because I felt that the governments we were meeting with would gain a greater understanding of the Pegasus galaxy if they were able to speak to both Ronon and I. However, for the moment, the IOA is more concerned with informing these countries about what is happening in the Milky Way, rather than events in other galaxies. That is why these countries are only receiving one visitor from Pegasus and a number from the Milky Way.

Our hotel is close to Cikrikcilar Yokusu, which is a complex of old shops that sell items such as traditional fabrics, hand woven carpets and jewellery. This morning when I woke up and stepped out onto our balcony I could hear the stallholders getting ready for the day. After our conversation with John and Ronon we still had two hours before we needed to meet with Minister Atalay so we decided to go visit Cikrikcilar Yokusu. I was especially interested in visiting because it reminds me of the bazaars and markets that you find on many worlds in Pegasus, especially the busy atmosphere where you can hear shopkeepers advertising their goods and people negotiating prices. I do not believe that I have ever been to a market with Rodney, at least not on our own and without being armed, so it was very enjoyable to be able to explore the market together. I was able to point out items that were similar to ones that you could find in Pegasus and he would explain any items that I was not familiar with. Soon after we arrived, we purchased small bags of dried fruits and nuts, which we ate for morning tea as we discovered what was available in the various stalls. I also purchased two small cushions and a beaded bracelet.

* * *

I believed that we were well prepared for our meeting with Minister Atalay because we had already gotten to know him at dinner last night. However it was almost like he was another person today, very different to the man we shared a meal with last night. At dinner he was very warm and friendly, and whilst we could not talk openly about being from another galaxy, he was interested in learning what he could about my culture and getting to know both Rodney and myself. Today however he did not want to continue our discussions from last night. Instead he was only interested in learning about the potential threats from the Pegasus galaxy and the likelihood of these enemies attacking Earth. He wanted us to tell him about all the enemies we had faced, regardless of whether we still considered them to be a threat. The Minister told us that whilst the initial briefing he had attended in New York had focused primarily on threats that originated from within the Milky Way, he was determined to ensure that his country would not be caught off guard in case of an attack, regardless of it's origin.

I can certainly understand Minister Atalay's position and although he was quite firm regarding the topics he wished to discuss, he was not rude or unpleasant towards us. I suppose the problem was that after meeting him last night, I was expecting our meeting today to be similar. After our morning exploring the market I had noticed some similarities between the Turkish culture and that of certain people in the Pegasus galaxy and I had been looking forward to discussing these similarities with the Minister. However his focus and determination to learn everything he could about potential threats from the Pegasus galaxy meant that I did not have the opportunity to discuss this with him. I believe that ultimately Ronon may have been better able to answered many of the Minister's questions, especially about the Wraith and that perhaps it would have been better if John and Ronon had travelled to Turkey instead of us. Unfortunately Minister Atalay asked a number of very detailed questions about the Wraith that Rodney and I were unable to answer and Ronon, having been a runner, would have been able to answer them.

* * *

We have an evening flight arranged to Tokyo so immediately after our meeting ended with Minister Atalay we returned to our hotel to collect our luggage and headed to the airport. When we checked in we noticed that my bag has become significantly heavier than it was when we left Colorado Springs. After realising that this was due to the various items that I have purchased and that I was now over the airline's weight restrictions Rodney suggested that we move some of the items to his bag, thus solving the problem. It seems that I will have to be more selective with my purchases for the remainder of the trip. We are currently waiting in the departure lounge for our flight to start boarding and Rodney is enjoying the extremely bitter Turkish coffee that I brought him as thanks for taking some of my luggage.


	7. Day Seven

Day Seven

We are approximately half way into our flight to Tokyo and most of the passengers are sleeping. This flight is not very full and many of the passengers are taking advantage of this by moving from their allocated seats and moving to the back of the plane where there are empty rows that they can stretch across to sleep. I am still unable to sleep on a plane unless I am extremely tired so I have spent the last few hours reading the Lonely Planet books that John gave me before we left the SGC. It is easy to understand why Elizabeth spent a number of months travelling around Europe, for it would take years to see everything of interest on Earth. There are so many sites and attractions that I would have liked to have seen in the countries that we have visited so far and I imagine that Japan will be no different. Once we have finished the process of briefing the remaining Security Council members it would be nice to return and be able to spend more than a day or two in each country. I also find the history of the cities and countries that we have visited fascinating. The way that the borders of countries can constantly move due to political forces and that a single city can pass through the hands of so may rulers and the visible impact that each ruler leaves on the city. Again this is so different to what occurs in the Pegasus galaxy, as the Wraith do not allow cities to develop to such an extent. When I return to the SGC I will have to ask Dr Jackson if he can recommend some good books about the history of the countries and cities that we have visited.

* * *

We are about to land at Nirata International Airport, and will then take a train into Tokyo. The flight attendants are currently directing passengers back to their assigned seats, although Rodney and I did not move from ours. I suggested to Rodney a number of times that he should have moved to the back of the plane but he said that he was happy in his seat and that he preferred to remain with me. We are arriving at approximately midday Tokyo time, so we will not be meeting with the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Akira Nakai, as well as the Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Hirofumi Okada until tomorrow. Japan is the only country that has had two representatives at the meetings, but we have been told that they are especially interested in the technologies that are going to become available to them through the Stargate program.

Although I am still quite tired, having had very little sleep on this flight, I am determined not to spend the afternoon sleeping as I wish to spend some time in Tokyo. I am looking forward to our train trip to Tokyo, as I have never been on a longer train journey, although I did take the subway in New York. It will also give me the opportunity to see the natural beauty of Japan, especially the mountainous regions.

* * *

After leaving our luggage at the hotel, we immediately went to the Tokyo Imperial Palace to see the areas that are opened to the public. We visited the East Garden, which was quite large and also where the Tokagakudo (Peach Blossom Music Hall) is located. Here we were able to listen to some traditional Japanese music. Much of the Earth music that I have listened to with Rodney has been European in origin, and I found that the Japanese music was similar to music that I have heard in the Pegasus galaxy. We then went to the Kitanomaru Park and we able to enter the Nippon Budokan Hall, although there were no events scheduled to be held there today. The gardens were of course very beautiful and it would be nice to be able to return when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. We then went to Ueno Park, as Rodney wished to visit the National Museum of Nature and Science. Although there were exhibitions on the history of science in Japan, Rodney was more interested in learning about more recent work. I also found the museum very interesting and found that the exhibits did not require much existing scientific knowledge and were quite easy to understand. It was also interesting to see some of the similarities between Japanese technology and Ancient technology and how the Japanese have been able to develop technologies that are so similar to those developed by the Ancients, without having any knowledge of their existence.

After we finished at the Museum we travelled to the Odaiba waterfront development, which is located on a man-made island. Rodney then showed me a picture of an artificial island in Dubai that is shaped like a palm tree, which is another place I am now determined to visit. Our main aim in visiting Odaiba was to see the Rainbow Bridge at night, however we also found a number of other things to do. Prior to leaving the SGC John had said that when we were in Japan I had to visit Joypolis, as I had yet to experience a theme park. He said that although he would have preferred to take me himself (he did not believe that Rodney would ensure I had the 'proper theme park experience') he did not know when we were going to have the opportunity to visit one together. As it turned out Rodney knew quite a bit about the attractions at Joypolis and the games on which some of them were based and we had a very enjoyable time. We found a sushi restaurant for dinner, although I am not sure that I would choose to eat raw fish again, the texture was most unusual.


	8. Day Eight

Day Eight

It is the last morning of our trip, and as much as I have enjoyed visiting such a variety of countries with Rodney, I will be glad to return home and see my friends and family. We still have a bit of time before we needed to get ready to go to the National Diet Building to meet with Ministers Nakai and Okada so I have taken this opportunity to watch the city awaken from our hotel room. Tokyo is a very modern city, and like Brasilia, it reminds me somewhat of Atlantis. The view of Mt Fuji is also very impressive and reminds you that even though you are in a modern and technologically advanced city that the natural world is still close to you. I am still amazed at the contrasts that exist on Earth, that some people live in conditions that are very similar to Athosian camps yet others can live in such modern cities. The natural contrasts are also stunning, not only from one side of the planet to the other but also within countries.

Our hotel room here is quite different to the others that we have stayed in. The hotel rooms that we had in Mexico City, Brasilia, Vienna and Ankara were all very similar and were it not for the local photos on the walls you could have been in any city in the world. Our hotel in Tokyo is not as large as the others that we have stayed in and does not have the same range of recreational facilities but it is my favourite. The rooms have been decorated in a traditional Japanese style with any Western influences, such as the television, carefully hidden away. The bed, called a futon, is very close to the ground and had a number of quilts folded on the end when we arrived. The walls are very distinctive, and appear to be made out of paper like material with wooden frames. There is a tea set on display with a note saying that you can arrange for a traditional Japanese tea ceremony to be performed for you. From what I have read, I believe there are many similarities between this ceremony and the one performed by the Athosians. Again, this is something that I would like to participate in if I were able to return to Japan.

* * *

We are on our way to the National Diet Building for our final meeting with Ministers Nakai and Okada. From a political and diplomatic standpoint, this trip was not what I was expecting. I had expected that my role in this process would be to give a more detailed point of view on all aspects of the Pegasus galaxy. What I did not expect was that the representatives from each country would have such different concerns and interests. Prior to this trip I had read the reports from when the United States revealed the existence of the Stargate to England, France, Russia and China and based on what I read I thought that the countries we were visiting would be concerned with how they could become involved in Atlantis and the enemies that were in the Pegasus galaxy. I was pleasantly surprised however at the interest that was shown in the Athosian people, especially from the Mexican people. I do wish, however, that Elizabeth were still here, as I believe she would have been able to provide invaluable help in approaching these meetings. Although Mr Woolsey has certainly done all that he can, it is not the same.

* * *

We are on a train heading back to Nirata International Airport for our final flight back to Colorado Springs. The meeting with the Japanese ministers went as expected and they were extremely interested in knowing about the technology available in the Pegasus galaxy, especially that which is on Atlantis. I was able to step back in this meeting and Rodney was able to provide answers to most of their questions. I believe the Japanese representatives requested that Rodney and I come to Tokyo because of Rodney's role as lead scientist for the Atlantis expedition. It was wonderful to see Rodney in his element again; for I believe that he was becoming somewhat restless and feeling that he did not have a significant role to play on this trip apart from accompanying me. At the same time however, it has been nice to be with Rodney without the distraction of Atlantis or Ancient technology. He has been wonderfully supportive, in his own way, as I start to understand politics on Earth and I believe he has had a certain amount of pride in showing me his planet, even if most of the places we travelled to he has not visited before.

* * *

There was a pleasant surprise waiting for us when we arrived at the airport. Instead of having to travel on the commercial flight we had booked, General O'Neill had arranged a private plane to take us home. He told us that he would have liked to have sent a jumper for us, but that the president would not let him. A private plane was also sent to bring John and Ronon home. Rodney immediately declared that this was the way we should have travelled for the entire trip. Unfortunately the interior design of the plane means that he is no longer able to claim that he does not have enough room to write his reports. I think this was very thoughtful of General O'Neill and it gives Rodney and I the chance to talk abut everything that has happened to us in the last few days without worrying about whether we are accidentally revealing classified information. The presence of proper Earth beds also means that I am looking forward to a good night's sleep, even if it is not on solid ground.


End file.
